| If you are in the process of starting a bookkeeping | | | | Electronic transfer. |
| business, you might consider working at home. Many | | | | Some clients may have their records set up |
| bookkeepers want to work from home at some | | | | electronically. I know of some clients who scan all their |
| stage. Some people set their business up in the | | | | paperwork and keep electronic files. It is possible to |
| beginning to only service clients off site, not at the | | | | receive all information electronically without having any |
| client premises. There is a market for this type of | | | | pieces of paper leave the clients premises. This is not |
| service in Australia with many small and micro | | | | always practical for many clients, but depending on the |
| businesses having small offices or home offices. | | | | client and their business, it may be suitable. |
| You may decide to offer this service as the clients | | | | Additional costs. |
| come along, or your whole focus might be this market, | | | | Working at your site, not the client may suit you, but if |
| either way you will need to ensure you have the | | | | there are any additional costs for you to work at |
| correct systems set up so you can service you client | | | | home you will need to factor it into your charge out |
| just as effectively as if you were in their office. | | | | rate. For example, you might need to visit the client for |
| There are many ways to work off site with ease of | | | | a meeting and to collect paper work, then take it back |
| record and data file transportation. The main things to | | | | to your office, do the work and take the paper work |
| consider when working off site are; | | | | back to the client. The additional time taken to go to |
| The integrity of client data. | | | | clients twice needs to be factored into your rates. Like |
| You want to make sure your system is in place so | | | | wise, if you pay for couriers or registered post, make |
| that you do not end up with multiple data files or that | | | | sure you include these costs. |
| someone else does not do data entry if you have a | | | | Unless your situation prevents you from attending a |
| copy of the data file. | | | | client site to work, you might find it is easier to get the |
| The security of client source documentation. | | | | clients, work for them for a while and then look at |
| You will need to ensure the client source records are | | | | whether it is feasible to do their work from home. Most |
| always secure. This might mean you will collect the | | | | clients work can be done off site, but sometimes it |
| paper work from the client, or they may drop it off to | | | | comes down to the relationship you have built up with |
| you. You can investigate a courier service or the costs | | | | the client and the trust you have with that person. |
| of registered mail. The priority is to ensure the client | | | | Clients who would not consider an off site service |
| records are kept securely but your administrative | | | | may be happy for you to do their books off site after |
| costs are minimized. | | | | a few months. |